On the 2023 commerce deadline, the Brooklyn Nets admitted defeat, buying and selling Kevin Durant and ending an period that was a lot stranger, sadder and shorter than anybody had envisioned. Since then, they’ve traded the 2 gamers they received from the Phoenix Suns in that deal (Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson) and stockpiled draft picks. They’re in full rebuild mode, and essentially the most useful of their league-high 32 picks within the subsequent seven years is likely to be their very own first-rounder within the 2026 draft.
Brooklyn could possibly be again in win-now mode as quickly as 2026-27, on condition that it has the instruments so as to add expertise subsequent summer time and doesn’t personal its 2027 first-round choose. This season, although, the plan is not exhausting to determine. The Nets will play loads of younger guys, and they are going to be close to the underside of the standings. “Success for us seems to be like, ‘How do we discover, how will we decide who’re the following Nets?'” Normal Supervisor Sean Marks stated at media day. For the 5 rookies they drafted in June, for the returning Cam Thomas (who signed the qualifying provide after a protracted standoff), for the newly acquired Michael Porter Jr. and for the remainder of the roster, 2025-26 shall be one thing of an audition. It is about proving to Brooklyn — or different groups — that even once you’re not profitable video games, you is usually a profitable participant.
The state of play
Final 12 months: New coach Jordi Fernández earned rave evaluations straight away, because the Nets went 9-10 within the first 5 weeks with vastly improved vibes. Gamers raved concerning the freedom he gave them, whereas opposing coaches praised him for presiding over a troublesome, bodily, organized staff. The wins had been tougher to return by after buying and selling Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith and taking a conservative method to damage administration however, even after dropping 21 of its remaining 26 video games, Brooklyn completed 26-56, the sixth-worst file within the league, giving the staff only a 37.2% probability of choosing within the prime 4.
The offseason: The Nets received the No. 8 choose, which they used to draft 6-foot-9 playmaker Egor Dëmin. They then drafted 6-foot-4 playmaker Nolan Traore with the No. 19 choose, 6-foot-6 playmaker Ben Saraf with the No. 26 choose and 6-foot-11 playmaker Danny Wolf with the No. 27 choose. In addition they drafted 3-and-D wing Drake Powell with the No. 22 choose, which they acquired from the Hawks by absorbing Terance Mann’s contract. By swapping Johnson, who was coming off a profession 12 months, for Porter, they picked up the Nuggets’ unprotected 2032 choose. By taking Haywood Highsmith off the Warmth’s palms, they picked up Miami’s 2032 second-round choose. Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams returned on an identical offers (two years, $12.5 million, staff choice). Thomas guess on himself by taking the QO, D’Angelo Russell left for the Mavericks and Keon Johnson received waived when the Nets had a possibility to seize Kobe Bufkin off the scrap heap.
Vegas over/below: 20.5, per BetMGM
The dialog
Nets believer: The Nets are doing precisely what a rebuilding staff ought to do. They nailed their teaching rent and so they’ve been stacking good, future-focused strikes for a while now. In that there are a ton of younger gamers and some vets competing for minutes, that is just like the start of the Kenny Atkinson period. The distinction is that, this time, as a substitute of being in draft-pick debt, they’ve collected a zillion picks. The long run is shiny in Brooklyn.
Nets skeptic: Do you’ve gotten something to say concerning the precise staff that shall be enjoying basketball in Brooklyn this season? Positive, the Nets received good worth within the Johnson-Porter swap, however that deal isn’t going to repay till 2032 until they commerce the choose earlier than then. Proper now, the fact is that they could have already wasted one rebuilding season by falling to No. 8 within the draft and reaching for Egor Dëmin. And if they do not get good lottery luck subsequent time, it will be rather more of a disaster. Houston has swap rights on their 2027 first-round choose, so that is Brooklyn’s final shot. Forgive me if I can not get excited a couple of staff that’s incentivized to be as terrible as doable.
Nets believer: If you are going to concern-troll the Dëmin choose and the Nets’ rebuild on the whole by pointing to the worst-case situations, it’s best to at the least point out the best-case situations too. What if Dëmin, a genius passer, is a greater shooter than folks thought and turns into a harmful downhill driver when he grows into his physique? (He hasn’t even turned 20 but!) What if Brooklyn will get Darryn Peterson subsequent June? Primarily based on how Jordi Fernández’s first 12 months went, I believe the precise staff on the court docket this season will play exhausting, share the ball and annoy opponents with its physicality. I additionally suppose that, given all the pliability and draft capital that the entrance workplace has at its disposal, the 2027 choose swap is not that massive of a deal.
Nets skeptic: It is easy to say that once you’re imagining Peterson on the staff as a substitute of, like, Sprint Daniels (or whoever the 2026 equal of Dëmin seems to be). However let’s persist with the present staff for a second: Are you certain that the Nets are going to have the identical id that they had final season now that Porter is in Johnson’s place? Am I alleged to consider {that a} staff that has Porter and Cam Thomas within the beginning lineup goes to play a defense-first, unselfish model? Come on. All of us get what the Nets are doing. They will be in a race to the underside with the Wizards and Jazz, and that is high-quality! Simply do not attempt to inform me that is going to be enjoyable.
Nets believer: If Kobe Bufkin finds a house in Brooklyn the way in which Spencer Dinwiddie and D’Angelo Russell did eight years in the past, it will be a enjoyable story. If Danny Wolf’s unorthodox sport interprets to the NBA stage, it will be an extremely enjoyable story. (HIs school highlights are insane.) I can completely see Nic Claxton bouncing again from a disappointing, injury-filled season; Thomas persevering with to make strides as a playmaker; Drew Timme constructing on his sturdy summer time league; and Noah Clowney changing into a extra dependable stretch/change massive. I do know you hate Dëmin for some cause, however I’ll at all times root for gamers with that sort of creativity and imaginative and prescient. So yeah, I believe Nets basketball could possibly be fairly enjoyable this 12 months! And if they don’t seem to be enjoying Nets basketball with Thomas and Porter within the beginning lineup, then Fernández will change the beginning lineup.
Nets skeptic: Wow. Properly, if both of these guys will get benched, I will be excited to see the quotes about it! And to be clear, I do not hate Dëmin by any means. I believe he would have been a wonderfully high-quality choose for the Nets at No. 19. It is not his fault that he was taken No. 8, and it isn’t his fault that it is unclear what precisely he is alleged to do for this staff within the quick time period. Primarily based on summer time league, he is not going to play level guard straight away, which kind of is smart as a result of Brooklyn has 1,000,000 guards and he has points with ball strain. He is in a bizarre place as an unproven off-ball participant and the Nets have a bizarre roster. There are a ton of secondary creators, however I am unsure there may be anyone who can persistently create benefits. If issues break proper, Brooklyn might have a shiny future, however this rebuild might additionally get actually, actually darkish.
